100 percent digitisation in Mumbai, Delhi: IB Ministry

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Last Updated: Thu, Nov 01, 2012 18:19 hrs

New Delhi: One hundred percent digitisation has been achieved in Mumbai and Delhi while the other two metros - Chennai and Kolkata - fell short in the digitization drive, the information and broadcasting ministry said Thursday.

A total of 64.31 lakh set top boxes (STBs) have been installed in the four metro cities in the first phase of digitization in a span of about 10 months from November 2011 i.e from the date of notification, the statement said.

It said that as per 2011 Census figures, there were a total of 103.76 lakh households in the four metros, and at an average rate of 80 percent TV penetration as per the census, the ministry had estimated that about 82.59 lakh households will have TV sets.

After deducting 28.14 lakh DTH (direct-to-home) connections, it was estimated that there would be 65.34 lakh cable TV subscribers who would require STBs.

"As per the data provided by the Multi System Operators (MSOs), the percentage of digitization in Delhi has gone up to 101 percent. In Mumbai it is 118 percent whereas in Kolkata it is 85 percent and in Chennai it stands at 63 percent," a statement, releasing latest figures for digitisation, said.

Analogue cable TV signals were allowed to continue in Chennai due to the interim stay granted by the Madras High court.

The ministry had set Oct 31 as the last date for households in the four metros to install set-top boxes (STBs) to achieve complete digitisation.

"The technical teams deployed by the ministry in the field are constantly on the move to inspect the head ends of the MSOs in Delhi and Mumbai. It has been reported that analogue signals have been switched off from all the head ends in Delhi and Mumbai while Kolkata has given mixed reports," it said.